The Letter
by UniverseInsideofYourHeart
Summary: Tyler seeks comfort in a certain perky blonde after his father dies.


The Letter

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or its characters. I just borrow them for some fun :).

Spoilers: All of Season 1

Author's Note: This is for T/C (Forwood) Day and dedicated to all the lovely people on vampire diaries . net and FanForum.

Rating: T with some slight sexuality and minor swearing.

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It had been exactly one week since the funeral and fourteen days since his father had died. The petals on the flowers that had been sent in condolence for the Lockwoods' loss were starting to shrivel up and die, and the phone calls from supposed friends and distant family members had stopped coming. The world was starting to move on from the death of Mayor Richard Lockwood.

Tyler was sitting in his father's study, where the scotch drink that his father had last poured still remained perched on the corner of his large oak desk. The room had remained mostly untouched since Founder's Day, almost like a shrine to the man who had spent most of his time there. Even now, Tyler still felt like his father was going to come in and chastise him for sitting in his chair.

The room was only dimly lit by the lamp in the corner of the room, Tyler not needing more than that small amount of light to see the words in the letter from his father, that had been included with the reading of the will. The lawyer couldn't meet with the family until that day, and it hadn't bothered anyone to delay, since there wasn't a question of where his father's inheritance would go.

The letter was what mattered most to Tyler. Most parents would have left words of love, taking their time to let their children know that they'd always be with them and they'd never be truly alone. The mayor had gone a different direction in his parting words to his son. Tyler kept reading his father's instructions of things he expected of him in the future, and last minute critiques on his behavior. The mayor had left directions on how to live up to being a Lockwood and to not shame the family name.

At the end though, were words that surprised Tyler. Words that he found unbearable and that tore through his soul. He had read them over and over while his deep brown eyes had filled with tears, no longer able to read them with his blurred vision. The paper started to crumple under his tense grip, and his shoulders shook in his effort to keep the tension in. He hated the feel of the warm wetness running down his face, believing it was a terrible sign of weakness.

He needed air, finding that he couldn't quite breathe fully in this mansion that was more a museum than a home. Tyler wanted to escape, to leave the room that had so many memories, almost none of them good ones. Outside the sky was overcast, no moon or even the stars showing, and the world around him filled with an unusual silence.

He had no idea where he was going, but just the drive to get as far away as possible. He strolled down the streets hunched over, hands in his pockets. If anyone passed him he took no notice, lost in memories and emotions, his world collapsing within him. As he walked, the sky opened up and rain came down in heavy downpours upon him. It was like the heavens were crying with him.

Tyler couldn't say how long he walked or why he ended up in her backyard, staring up at her window. He hadn't seen Caroline since after the accident. Tyler had tried once to sneak into her hospital room to see how she was doing, absolutely relieved that she lived. The nurses had stopped him though because it had been long past visiting hours and no amount of his patented Lockwood charm would change their minds.

His responsibilities to his family after his father's death had kept him away since. He was the man of the house now, the heir to the Lockwood throne so to speak, and that meant that he couldn't be running off like this. Not even to see her. What Tyler wanted no longer mattered now.

He heard from Matt at the funeral that they had released Caroline a week ago, but that she was confined to bed rest for at least another week or more. Which is why it was surprising when the light in her room turned on and Caroline's pretty face appeared behind the glass of the window. He didn't know how she knew he was there since he hadn't made any attempt to call out to her. She looked confused to see him. He didn't blame her; Tyler didn't know why he was there either.

They stared at each other for a long minute through the glass. Her bedroom was on the second floor and too far away for him to see what was going on in those blue eyes of hers, but that didn't stop him from gazing back. He stood there feeling pathetic, all wet from the rain that was still pouring down on him. Caroline broke their staring contest by suddenly disappearing from the window.

Tyler thought that she had gone back to bed where she should be and started moving to head back in the direction of his home. Movement out of the corner of his eye stopped him though and he saw her quietly opening her front door. Caroline, dressed in a light purple tank top and purple and white striped pajama pants, walked gingerly across her porch and down the steps towards him. It was obvious by her awkward movements that she was still in a great deal of pain from the accident.

He felt like a dick that he was the reason that she was injured in the first place. Not only that, but instead of being in bed recovering from her injuries, Caroline was coming out to see him, and getting soaked in the process. She was barefoot, and Tyler could make out the disgusted expression on her face while the muddy lawn squished between her toes. He felt like an even bigger jerk that he didn't move closer towards her, saving her from making a long trip.

Tyler just stood there as she finally reached him, their staring contest picking up again at a much closer distance. She reached out and touched his face, thumb moving to stroke his cheek where a tear drop had fallen against his will. Caroline made a soft cooing noise that Tyler could barely hear over the falling of the rain, and then slipped her other hand over to his. She tugged on his hand gently towards the direction of her house, silently communicating that she wanted him to come with her.

He didn't know why she was being so quiet. Quiet wasn't Caroline's style. Tyler figured that she must be trying not to spook him or maybe she was too exhausted from her recovery to be her bubbly self. Either way, the silence was starting to weigh heavy on him.

"Caroline" Tyler said. Not knowing what to more to say.

"Come on Ty" Caroline said, softly smiling before turning around and heading towards the house.

Tyler couldn't do anything but follow, still not sure why he was there in the first place. Caroline brought a finger to her lips to indicate that they should be quiet, obviously trying to keep her mom from knowing that she was up and about. Tyler briskly nodded that he understood and then trailed up the stairs behind her.

When they got to her room she gently shut the door and then moved to the corner of her room where a bunch towels were folded. She grabbed a fluffy pink one, which he was sure was a small attempt to tease him, and placed it on her bed. Tyler was a little wary at the sudden mischievous glint in her eyes as she came closer towards him. He was startled when Caroline grabbed the edge of his sopping shirt and he grabbed her fingers quickly to still their movement.

"Lockwood, I'm not trying to have my way with you. It's not good for you to stay in these wet clothes and you are getting my carpet soaking wet!" Caroline huffed at him in frustration.

This time when she moved to pull his shirt up he let her, and lifted his arms up to assist her in taking it off. He couldn't help the arrogant smirk that came across his face when she kept looking down to check out the definition in his stomach muscles. Tyler thought that the flush that came to her cheeks was cute.

"Someone has been spending a lot of time at the gym." Caroline muttered, not making eye contact as she reached for the pink towel.

Caroline moved the towel to his soaking hair and made gentle circles in an attempt to dry it. She was treating him as a child and while that made Tyler feel like an idiot, he also was comforted by her actions. Tyler's own mother had never taken care of him like this. Her fingers moved away from the towel at some points, and combed their way through his thick locks to help the drying process. The sensation gave Tyler a tingle at the base of his spine.

Despite that he had thick hair, it was pretty short, so it was relatively dry in no time at all. Tyler stood there awkwardly while Caroline moved to dump the towel in her hamper, before coming back over with her hands on her hips. He gave a slight shake of his head in confusion at the expectant look on her face.

"The pants" Caroline said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Tyler wasn't sure how much she was going to make him strip down, but moved to take off his pants anyways. Luckily, she didn't attempt to help him with their removal. He had no problem getting naked for her, but he would prefer that the nakedness be leading to certain pleasurable activities if he were going to do so.

"Well that answers that question" Caroline said to herself as she looked down on his hunter green boxer shorts.

"Did you really think I would wear briefs Forbes?" Tyler asked, the most he spoke to her so far that evening.

"You never know." Caroline remarked flippantly, giving him a flirty little wink.

"Boxers, and on very rare occasions, boxer briefs. But never just briefs." Tyler said, not wanting her to think that there was any chance he would be caught dead in underwear like that.

Caroline smirked at Tyler like she didn't believe him before going to her dresser and pulling out some clothes. She motioned that she would be right back and he watched as she disappeared out into the hall, presumably to change.

Tyler stood there awkwardly before he made his way around the room, looking at all the pictures that Caroline had of her, Bonnie, and Elena that she had tacked to her mirror. He hadn't been in her room since her birthday party in the second grade, and was curious to see what had changed. He couldn't help the embarrassed expression on his face when Caroline came back into the room, catching him sniffing her perfume.

While she smirked, she didn't say anything. She just moved over to her bed and pulled the covers down. Caroline had changed into a light blue tank top and a pair of blue pajama shorts with little red cherries on them. Tyler thought she looked cute in the outfit, especially since the shorts pulled snug over her rear when she bent to fluff the pillows.

"I'll take the floor" Tyler blurt out in protest when Caroline gestured him over to the bed.

"Don't be stupid Tyler. The bed is big enough for both of us." Caroline refused, suddenly looking super exhausted. Tyler had almost forgotten about the accident.

"Besides," Caroline continued glaring slightly at him, "I trust that you will be a total gentleman."

Tyler nodded, knowing that he wasn't going to be trying anything with her tonight. He crawled into lavender scented sheets, and pulled the covers up. He could feel movement to his side when Caroline followed suit. Tyler didn't feel much like sleeping, but figured that he better fake it if he wanted her to get any rest that evening.

He laid there for what felt like hours, just staring up at the ceiling. Tyler couldn't stop thinking about the letter and his father's words. The asshole had the nerve to say that he was _proud_ of him. That he had _always_ been proud of him. Tyler had never heard a bigger lie, knowing that in some ways, he was very much a failure to his father. But the idea of it being true was Tyler's greatest wish fulfillment.

He had always wanted his dad to be proud of him, despite the fact that he had never really done anything that proved to the mayor that he should. He had joined football and pretty much treated Vicki like crap, just to keep his parents from thinking poorly of him. That Tyler's father wasn't still around for Tyler to ask him if it was a lie, was what was killing him inside. He would never know if the mayor actually meant it or not.

For the second time that evening, hot tears streaked down Tyler's face. He brushed them off harshly, knowing that if his father could see him now, that Tyler would get his answer. It just wouldn't be the one he was hoping for.

"Tyler?" Caroline asked in a whisper. She must have woken when he moved his arms.

"Go to sleep Caroline, I'm fine." Tyler said. The tears were no longer coming down, but they still welled up in his eyes.

"No you aren't!" Caroline said, shifting over to look at him.

Caroline sighed in frustration when he turned away, determined that no one would see him like this. She pushed herself against his back, spooning him from behind. One of her dainty arms reached around his waist and pulled him close. Tyler took comfort in the feeling of their skin next to each other and the half hug, despite his irritation that she was ignoring his request. He told himself that he didn't move away because he may never get another chance to be half naked next to Caroline again, but he knew that it was more than that.

Tyler's eyes dried up and he no longer felt like crying, but couldn't stop himself from reaching down to her hand on his stomach and grabbing hold of it. Caroline's warm breathe tickled the skin on his neck as she locked their fingers together. Tyler finally found the first measure of peace he had felt since his father died, and drifted off to sweet dreams of a certain flirty blonde.

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Thanks for reading! Reviews are welcome and always lovely :)


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